Social Media strategy for UK F&B brands
The UK’s food and beverage (F&B) market has a constant outflow of creativity, but what it truly needs in 2025 isn’t just more “vibey” reels or endless latte art closeups. What it desperately requires is clarity, a sharp, strategic approach to social media that drives real business results.
Scroll through the social feeds of F&B brands in London, Manchester, or even smaller hubs like Margate, and you’ll notice a familiar pattern: a flood of aesthetically pleasing posts designed to chase the algorithm rather than meaningful engagement or sales. The hard pill to swallow is that if these aesthetic views don’t convert to customers, it doesn’t really make any sense. What wins is a smart, layered social strategy that weaves together narrative, culture, and distribution, all aligned with your bottom line.
Here are five social media strategy shifts every serious UK F&B brand should embrace in 2025, complete with context, examples, and why they work.
1. Founder-Led Content Isn’t a Trend. It’s Your Best Distribution Strategy
In 2030, the food market will be saturated, consumers will shift from buying just products to buying the feelings and stories attached to it. And no one can tell your brand’s story better than the founder who lived it.
Why it works:
- Humanising your brand builds trust and loyalty.
- It creates distinct personality edges that spark conversation and attention.
- Algorithms favour native, low-polish, authentic talking-head content over polished ads.
How to execute:
- Launch a weekly “Founder Friday” where your founder shares candid takes on sourcing, pricing, or industry trends.
- Capture raw, day-to-day moments behind the scenes, not just polished press features.
- Break the fourth wall, invite your audience into your decision-making, challenges, and even failures.
Brands that embrace founder-led content often outperform peers in reach and save up to 40% on influencer marketing by becoming their own influencers.
2. Turn User-Generated Content (UGC) Into an Always-On Growth Engine
Today’s diners don’t just eat, they also want to film, snap, and tag their experiences. But unless you actively capture, curate, and redistribute this content, you’re leaving free marketing on the table.
Take Crème London as a prime example. Their gooey cookies are designed to invite filming, and a quick TikTok search reveals thousands of organic reviews, and first impressions. Their social team skillfully reshapes this into a vibrant, authentic feed.
Why it works:
- UGC drives 4x higher engagement than branded content.
- It builds social proof, especially with Gen Z and millennials.
- It fosters a community, not just followers.
How to execute:
- Create in-store “content traps” visually compelling elements that customers want to film or photograph.
- Launch a branded hashtag and incentivize its use with rewards or shoutouts.
- Establish a “creator wall” by regularly featuring 3-5 customer posts with credit.
Restaurants with structured UGC strategies see a 12-18% increase in bookings within 90 days.
3. Stop ‘Collaborating’ with Influencers — Start Recruiting Distributors
Many UK F&B brands make the mistake of chasing influencer follower counts or one-off collaborations. The real power lies in transforming creators into long-term media partners who amplify your brand consistently.
Micro-influencers with strong local followings often convert better than big names.
Why it works:
- Long-term partnerships deliver 3x the ROI of single shoutouts.
- Local creators drive real foot traffic, especially when tied to timely promos or events.
- Audiences buy based on personality trust, not just aesthetics.
How to execute:
- Develop quarterly “Creator Residencies” where 2-3 creators collaborate on product drops, tastings, or new openings.
- Structure deals around clear deliverables and outcomes (e.g., “drive X bookings”) rather than just “post once.”
- Let creators host takeovers or live tasting reviews on your channels.
UK brands shifting to influencer retainers see a 170% ROI increase over six months.
See social marketing strategies here
4. Design Content That’s Insta-Worthy — But Purpose-Built for Sharing and Storytelling
“Insta-worthy” isn’t about clichéd decor or neon signs. It’s about creating content surfaces that do your marketing for you.
Why it works:
The environment becomes part of your brand story.
- Content creation becomes effortless for customers.
- People come for the content but stay for the food.
How to execute:
- Build a “photo moment” wall tied to your brand’s heritage, culture, or humour.
- Create packaging that doubles as a collectible or meme-worthy item.
Customers sharing from designed surfaces bring in an average of 3.7 new followers per post, per location.
5. YouTube Isn’t Optional, It’s Your Long-Form Content Moat
While everyone chases TikTok and Instagram, YouTube remains the place where loyalty can be nurtured.
Contrary to popular belief, people binge long-form food contents, chef backstories, ingredient deep dives, and origin stories , much like a Netflix documentary.
Why it works:
- Long-form content builds brand depth and narrative.
- YouTube is one of the world’s second largest search engines, boosting discoverability.
- It creates an evergreen brand library that can be monetised and repurposed.
How to execute:
- Launch a YouTube series to showcase behind-the-scenes stories.
- Use founder or chef monologues instead of scripted ads.
- Repurpose long videos into shorts, newsletters, and podcasts.
Active YouTube channels see 20-40% increases in branded search traffic, especially when paired with local SEO.
Social media today isn’t just marketing support. It’s your brand’s story and often its primary acquisition engine.
If you’re still handing it off to an intern or treating it like a moodboard exercise, you’re leaving pounds on the table. It’s time to get strategic, layered, and serious.
Ready to improve your brand’s social media potential? Let’s audit your current feed and pinpoint where your money’s leaking. Book a free call here.
